Happy Halloween!

Just wanted to wish you all a happy halloween! Missy doesn't fit into her dinosaur costume anymore so we got her a costume after her dad's heart...a fisherman outfit with her own rainbow trout! I am a single mom for halloween (my husband has been living at the library this week so it hasn't been too hard). I am looking forward for the weekend, my mom, sister, brother-in-law and niece are all coming up for my birthday/homecoming. It should be a blast!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Just thought I would share a great seasonal recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes. As you can see, Matt really enjoyed them :)

In a large bowl mix:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a small bowl, mix:

2 slightly beaten eggs (or egg whites or 1/2 cup of egg beaters)
1 1/2 cups skim milk
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup canned pumpkin

Add small bowl mixture to large bowl. Stir just until moistened. Heat griddle, spray with oil. Pour batter by 1/4 cup onto hot griddle (about 375 degrees). Makes about 16 hearty pancakes.

Hope you all had a great weekend! Rock Chalk Jayhawk (7-0)!!!!!!!!!
Catherine

Ryan and Casey's Wedding

This weekend we took off to Utah for Matt's brother Ryan's wedding to Casey (my new sister-in-law). It was a really short stay but was so much fun! We got to see all of Matt's family, most of which we hadn't seen since our own wedding. We cooled off a lot from the 90 degree KC weather and even got some snow while we were there. We also enjoyed delicious homemade food and an abundance of alcohol (see picture). I don't think that is a very common site in the state of Utah, except for maybe at the Cronley's :) We can't wait to go back there for Christmas! If you want to see more pictures from the wedding go to http://randcthompsonwedding.shutterfly.com
By the way...Rock Chalk Jayhawk! What an exciting college football weekend. Hope everyone is doing well.

Catherine

This past weekend Kristi (the other blonde in the picture) invited us down to the Plaza to watch the Waterfire spectacular on Brush Creek, which her apartment overlooks. It was really fun, well I had fun with my girlfriends, Matt on the other hand...well he had a test on Monday so he brought along his flashcards to study while keeping a close eye on the football games.
The weather has finally cooled off here. We actually turned the AC completely off and have been sleeping with the window open and fan on (anyone who knows me knows that is my favorite)!

Althought the weather is getting better, unfortunately my allergies are getting worse. Ever since we got Missy, Matt's allergies have become non-exsistant, jerk! As for Missy, I have to leave you with this picture of her "gentle leader face" although she may look fierce it is actually a look of total disgust (she hates that thing)! It is hilarious!
Cath

Labor Day shrimp boil at Chewy's. I have never had anything like that and to be honest it tastes a whole lot better than it looks! It was a lot of fun! That was really all we had planned for this weekend besides sleeping in, Matt studying, me cleaning and pampering our little pup. Hope everyone else had a fabulous weekend! Oh yeah, and here is a picture of the ladies looking a little classier than their counterparts.
Cat

Just a quick update...Matt had his first "quiz" today (it was an easy 80 questions), we will find out how he did in the next 48 hours...Last week he campaigned to be the class of 2011 surgery club representative and won, beating out 6 other candidates...We celebrated tonight going back out to Kona (he was jealous of my girls night last week)...Afterward Matt got Missy all hyped up in this picture (it sure doesn't take much, just say the words "walk" or "run" and she is at the door ready to go, on the other hand when you say "bath" you have one super sad puppy).
PS: Matt has some super cool new glasses huh?

Ladies night with Whitney and Kristi (we missed you Ashley) at Kona Grill. We try to get together once a month, sometimes it happens and sometimes it is a little longer either way it is never enough. I am always sad when the night is over :( Tracey, here is finally a picture of me :)

Cat

The morning after Danny and Laura's house warming party

Matt has finally started medical school! This picture is from his first day of classes (If you look closely you can see some of Missy in the window). His first week went very well and seemed really fun. He learned all about KCUMB and what life is going to be like for the next 4 years, met a lot of his fellow students, and got completely freaked out during a financial aide lecture :)

I was included in some really fun activities too. We got to parade around Kauffman Stadium (where the Royals play) before a game in 100-degree heat and I got to attend the White Coating Ceremony and Reception. Think of the most elegant wedding you have ever been to and multiply it in size by four and that is what the ceremony was like. Now we know where all of our financial aid money is going :) Just kidding. It was really neat to see Matt up there in the coat he has worked so hard to wear. It was amazing to listen to the faculty speak about his class and how only 7% of all medical school applicants get in and that when he is done with school he will be in the top 5% of the most intelligent people in any given community. Don't worry I will take any chance I get to make sure his head doesn't inflate too large.

This past week has been his first true school week and he has been a studying machine. Everyday is the hardest school day of his life until the next day. He is having fun when he comes home at night. He enjoys wearing his scrubs and has all sorts of medical tools that he is trying out on me. He blinded me last night because he was obsessed with starring in my eyeball with that light thing and poked around my ear after that and I can't even tell you how many times he has listened to my heart beat with his new stethoscope.

I am leaving you with a picture of the inside of our new place with our silly pup. We really love having so much more space than our last place and hope that lots of you come to visit!!!

Catherine

Well, now that we have left everyone hanging (all 3 of you that check our blog) for eight months we thought we would get everyone all caught up to speed.

We have just moved into a brand new townhome in the northern part of KC. It was pretty emotional leaving Lawrence. We live about an hour away from Lawrence but it might as well 3 days because Missouri feels like a different world. It has been really fun exploring the area, especially all the good shopping. It is also nice when we go to the grocery store and want a bottle of wine it is a one stop shop (in Kansas you can't buy wine in grocery stores...crazy, I know). Missy is having fun in our new place too, she thinks that the stairs are Disneyland and gets lots of exercise running up and down them.

Matt is anxiously awaiting August 6th, the day he starts medical school. He will be attending the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. Right now he works for a pharmaceutical research company doing some pretty gnarly stuff but is gaining some great surgical experience. He is really excited to go to Utah this month to get in some good fly fishing time with his Dad and Brother before he becomes a complete book worm.

I am still working for Cintas, and now that I live in my territory it makes my days a little bit less exhausting. The best part about it is that I get to come home for lunch and play with Missy. It is also nice that I have a week of vacation this year. We used some of those days last week to go up to Goat Rock (where we were married) and see some family. We are going to use a few more at the end of July to go back to Mission Viejo for my mom's birthday and to see my sister and her family.

We are excited about this summer and about blogging again. Matt has canceled his Mac account so we will be using this free blogger account instead which is better because now I can blog from my computer. So hopefully we will be updating our blog more often but I am warning you that my blogs are not going to be as perfect as when Matt does them.

Catherine